Storage device and electronic equipment

ABSTRACT

A storage device includes a first loading tray to comprise a loading surface on which to abut a non-recording surface of said portable recording medium, a second loading tray to comprise a loading surface, parallel with the loading surface of said first loading tray, on which to abut a recording surface of said portable recording medium loaded in the way of being turned in the same direction as that of the recording surface of said portable recording medium loaded into said first loading tray, and an access unit disposed on the side of the recording surface to access the recording surface of said portable recording medium even in such a case that said portable recording medium is loaded into any one of said first loading tray and said second loading tray.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a Divisional of U.S. application Ser. No. 12/696,350filed on Jan. 29, 2010 which is a continuation of ApplicationPCT/JP2007/065071, filed on Aug. 1, 2007, now pending, the contents ofwhich are herein wholly incorporated by reference.

FIELD

This case relates to technologies of a storage device and electronicequipment.

BACKGROUND

An optical disc drive is known as a drive which performs recording andreproducing (data or information) to and from a CD-ROM and a DVD-ROM.Further, there is spread of a large number of information processingdevices such as a personal computer and a variety of players which eachincorporate such an optical disc drive. A main type of the conventionaloptical disc drive is a so-called horizontal type in which the opticaldisc is placed on a loading tray. Over the recent years, however, agreat number of technologies have been proposed, which are capable ofusing in a state where the loading tray is set vertical, and, as aresult, there is also the spread of many optical disc drives taking aso-called stand type and a so-called stand/horizontal combination type.

[Patent document 1] Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2006-12340

SUMMARY

According to an aspect of the embodiment, a storage device to execute atleast any one of reading and writing data from and to a portablerecording medium, including: a first loading tray having a loadingsurface on which to abut a non-recording surface of the portablerecording medium; a second loading tray having a loading surface,parallel with the loading surface of the first loading tray, on which toabut a recording surface of the portable recording medium loaded in theway of being turned in the same direction as that of the recordingsurface of the portable recording medium loaded into the first loadingtray; and an access unit disposed on the side of the recording surfaceand accessing the recording surface of the portable recording mediumeven in such a case that the portable recording medium is loaded intoany one of the first loading tray and the second loading tray.

The object and advantage of the embodiment will be realized and attainedby means of the elements and combinations particularly pointed out inthe claims.

It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description andthe following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory onlyand are not restrictive of the invention, as claimed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an outline of a configuration ofelectronic equipment in a first embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the electronic equipment in the firstembodiment, where a second loading tray is in a non-accommodated state.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a state where an optical disc is loadedinto the second loading tray

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a state where the optical disc isloaded into a first loading tray.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a loading surface of the second loadingtray.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating one example of a case of disposingelectronic equipment on the right side of a user.

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a layout example where the electronicequipment depicted in FIG. 6 is inverted up and down.

FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating one example of a case of disposingelectronic equipment on the left side of the user.

FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating the electronic equipment in the case ofbeing used as a horizontal type.

FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an outline of a configuration of theelectronic equipment in a second embodiment.

FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating an upper surface of a loading tray inthe second embodiment.

FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating a side surface of the loading tray inthe second embodiment.

FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating the upper surface of the loading trayin another embodiment.

FIG. 14 is a diagram illustrating the upper surface of the loading trayin still another embodiment.

FIG. 15 is a diagram illustrating a state of switching over the loadingtray.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

A storage device of this case will hereinafter be described withreference to the drawings. It may be noted that the storage device ofthis case can be preferably incorporated into a piece of electronicequipment such as a personal computer and a player. Such being the case,an embodiment, which will hereinafter be described, will exemplify theelectronic equipment incorporating an optical disc (corresponding to astorage device according to this case). Configurations in the followingembodiments are, however, exemplifications, and This case is not limitedto the configurations in the embodiments.

The electronic equipment having a built-in optical disc drive (that willsimply be termed a disc drive), which is described in the embodiment, isthe electronic equipment used as a so-called a stand type. Theelectronic equipment in the embodiment includes, in the case of beingused as the stand type, a loading surface of the optical disc(corresponding to a portable recording medium according to this case) ina loading tray is always directed to a user when disposed on either theright side or the left side of the user. The electronic equipment in afirst embodiment realizes a configuration that the loading surface ofthe optical disc in the loading tray is invariably directed to the userby having two loading trays of which the loading surfaces have differentdirections. Further, the electronic equipment in a second embodimentrealizes a configuration that the loading surface of the optical disc inthe loading tray is always directed to the user by enabling thedirection of the loading tray to be changed. Note that the optical discincludes, in addition to a read-only medium such as a CD-ROM and aDVD-ROM, a rewritable medium such as a CD-RW and a DVD-RW. Stillfurther, the optical disc may also be a write-once medium such as a CD-Rand a DVD-R.

First Embodiment (Configuration)

FIG. 1 illustrates an outline of a configuration of electronic equipment1 in the first embodiment, in which a first loading tray 2 and a secondloading tray 3 are in an accommodated state. FIG. 2 illustrates anoutline of another configuration of electronic equipment 1 in the firstembodiment, in which the second loading tray 3 is in a non-accommodatedstate. FIGS. 1 and 2 each illustrate the electronic equipment 1 in whicha built-in disc drive 100 is used in a standing state.

The disc drive 100 in the first embodiment includes the first loadingtray 2, the second loading tray 3, a first button 5 which opens andcloses the first loading tray 2, and a second button 6 which opens andcloses the second loading tray 3. A housing 4 is a housing of theelectronic equipment 1, and the disc drive 100 is incorporated into theelectronic equipment 1. Note that the electronic equipment 1 isexemplified by an information processing device such as a personalcomputer and a variety of players for reproducing (data or information)from the optical disc.

The housing 4 houses a variety of devices required by the electronicequipment, such as an unillustrated CPU (Central Processing Unit) and aHDD (Hard Disk Drive) in addition to the disc drive 100. The housing 4in the first embodiment I includes a first side surface 41, a secondside surface 42, a top surface 43, a bottom surface 44, a back surface45 and a front surface 46. The front surface 46 is formed with anopening 20 (corresponding to an entrance port according to this case)via which the first loading tray 2 and the second loading tray 3 areinserted and ejected. Note that members for forming the respectivesurfaces can involve using, e.g., synthetic resins (plastics).

The first loading tray 2 and the second loading tray 3 respectively holdoptical discs 7 to be loaded. A loading surface 12 for loading theoptical disc 7 of the first loading tray 2 and a loading surface 12 forloading the optical disc 7 of the second loading tray 3 are different intheir directions. To be specific, the first loading tray 2 is providedwith the loading surface 12 enabling the optical disc 7 to be loadedfrom the right side as viewed on the sheet surface in FIG. 1. On theother hand, the second loading tray 3 is provided with the loadingsurface 12 enabling the optical disc 7 to be loaded from the left sideas viewed on the sheet surface in FIG. 1.

Herein, FIGS. 3 and 4 each illustrate A-A sections in FIG. 1. FIG. 3illustrates a state where the optical disc 7 is loaded into the secondloading tray 3. FIG. 4 illustrates a state where the optical disc 7 isloaded into the first loading tray 2. The disc drive 100 built in theelectronic equipment 1 is provided with the first loading tray 2positioned on the left side as viewed on the sheet surface and thesecond loading tray 3 positioned on the right side as viewed on thesheet surface. Further, the disc drive 100 is provided with a clamper 8,a turn table 9, a spindle motor 10 and a pickup unit 11.

The clamper 8 supports the side of a non-recording surface 7 a (anon-mirror surface side) of the optical disc 7. More specifically, theclamper 8 supports, on such an occasion that the optical disc 7 isloaded into any one of the first loading tray 2 and the second loadingtray 3, the side of the non-recording surface 7 a of the loading trayloaded with the optical disc 7. Note that a distance between the clamper8 and the optical disc 7 changes depending on the loading tray loadedwith the optical disc 7. It is therefore preferable that the clamper 8is movable in a direction orthogonal to the non-recording surface 7 a ofthe loaded optical disc 7. Accordingly, it is preferable that aninterior of the housing 4 is provided with, in addition to theconfiguration described above, a drive unit for driving the clamper 8 inthe direction orthogonal to the non-recording surface 7 a of the opticaldisc 7.

The turn table 9 supports the side of a recording surface 7 b (a mirrorsurface side) of the optical disc 7 and also rotates the optical disc 7.Namely, the optical disc 7 is held in the way of being sandwiched inbetween the clamper 8 and the turn table 9 described above. Then, theturn table 9 rotates, thereby rotating the optical disc 7.

The spindle motor 10 applies a rotational force to the optical disc 7supported on the turn table 9. Namely, the spindle motor 10 functions asa drive source which rotates the optical disc 7.

The pickup unit 11 emits laser beams to the optical disc 7. Morespecifically, the pickup unit 11 emits the laser beams to the recordingsurface 7 b of the optical disc 7 and receives the laser beams(reflected beams). Namely, the pickup unit 11 functions as a laser beamsource and a light receiving unit as well. Further, the pickup unit 11emits and receives the laser beams with respect to both of the firstloading tray 2 and the second loading tray 3. To be specific, the pickupunit 11 in the first embodiment functions for both of the optical disc 7loaded into the first loading tray 2 and the optical disc 7 loaded intothe second loading tray 3. Hence, it is preferable that the pickup unit11 is movable in the direction orthogonal to the recording surface 7 bof the loaded optical disc 7. Accordingly, it is also preferable thatthe inferior of the housing 4 is provided with, in addition to theconfiguration described above, a pickup drive unit for driving thepickup unit 11 in the direction orthogonal to the recording surface 7 bof the optical disc 7. It is also preferable for the same reason thatthe turn table 9 is movable in the direction orthogonal to the recordingsurface 7 b of the loaded optical disc 7 and is therefore provided witha drive source. Note that the pickup unit 11 and the turn table 9 can,it is also preferable, move integrally. This is because, with thiscontrivance, the turn table 9 and the pickup unit 11 can be movedtogether by one drive source, and it is feasible to reduce the number ofcomponents.

Each of the first loading tray 2 and the second loading tray 3 holds theoptical disc 7 to be loaded. Each of the first loading tray 2 and thesecond loading tray 3 is provided with one loading surface 12.Accordingly, one piece of optical disc 7 can be loaded into one loadingtray. Herein, the disc drive 100 in the first embodiment includes theloading surfaces 12 of the first loading tray 2 and the second loadingtray 3 are disposed in parallel, but the loading surfaces 12 thereof aredifferentiated in their directions. Then, the loading surface 12 of thefirst loading tray 2 is formed to be directed toward the pickup unit 11(the right side as viewed on the sheet surface), while the loadingsurface 12 of the second loading tray 3 is formed to be directed towardthe clamper 8. This contrivance, according to the electronic equipment 1in the first embodiment, enables the optical disc 7 to be easily loadedeven when disposed on either the right side or the left side of a user200. Furthermore, the respective loading surfaces 12 disposed inparallel are disposed in parallel with the side surfaces (41, 42) of thehousing 4, thereby realizing a space saving scheme in the case of usingthe electronic equipment 1 in the stand state in the first embodiment.

Next, a further in-depth description of the first loading tray 2 and thesecond loading tray 3 will be made. It is to be noted that the firstloading tray 2 and the second loading tray 3 comprise basically the sameconfiguration. Such being the case, the following discussion willexemplify the second loading tray 3.

FIG. 5 illustrates the side of the loading surface 12 of the secondloading tray 3. The loading surface 12 is formed with a recessedaccommodating unit 13 capable of accommodating the optical disc 7. Theaccommodating unit 13 is formed slightly larger than the optical disc 7that is circular in its external shape. Further, the accommodating unit13 is formed deeper than a thickness of the optical disc 7. An edgeportion of the accommodating unit 13 is formed with three pieces ofpawls 14 for keeping the optical disc 7 in a loaded stated. The pawls 14are formed at the edge portion of the accommodating unit 13 in order torestrict a motion of the loaded optical disc 7 against the loadingdirection thereof. Further, the pawls 14 are formed so as to protrudetoward the center of the accommodating unit 13 (in other words, towardthe center of the optical disc 7).

The first loading tray 2 and the second loading tray 3 are slidable in ahorizontal direction. To be specific, the first loading tray 2 and thesecond loading tray 3 comprise a state of being housed inside of thehousing 4 and a state enabling the optical disc 7 protruding outside ofthe housing 4 to be loaded. Accordingly, it is preferable that the firstloading tray 2 and the second loading tray 3 are provided with loadingunits for sliding the loading trays. A variety of configurations of theloading unit have hitherto been known. For example, the configuration ofthe loading unit includes a configuration that the loading tray loadedinto the interior of the housing is ejected outside by making use of arepulsive force of a spring and a configuration enabling the loadingtray to be electrically ejected and loaded in a way that provides adrive source such as a motor and a propagation mechanism such a gear.Accordingly, the variety of hitherto-known loading units can be appliedto the first loading tray 2 and the second loading tray 3 in the firstembodiment.

Note that the operation of the loading tray is controlled by the firstbutton 5 or the second button 6. More specifically, the first button 5opens and closes the first loading tray 2 (see FIG. 1 and FIG. 2).Namely, the first button 5 is pushed, whereby the first loading tray 2changes to the state of being housed in the interior of the housing 4and to the state enabling the optical disc 7 to be loaded due toprotruding outside the housing 4. Moreover, the second button 6 opensand closes the second loading tray 3. The second button 6 is pushed,whereby the second loading tray 3 changes to the state of being housedin the interior of the housing 4 and to the state enabling the opticaldisc 7 to be loaded due to protruding outside the housing 4. It may benoted that the electronic equipment 1 in the first embodiment includesthat the first button 5 is disposed close to the outside (the right sideas viewed on the sheet surface) in the loading direction of the firstloading tray 2, while the second button 6 is disposed close to theoutside (the left side as viewed on the sheet surface) in the loadingdirection of the second loading tray 3. To be specific, as depicted inFIG. 1, the first button 5 is disposed close to the outside in theloading direction of the first loading tray 2 as well as being close tothe edge of the front surface 46 of the housing 4. On the other hand,the second button 6 is disposed close to the outside in the direction ofthe underside of the loading surface 12 of the second loading tray 3 buton the diagonal of the first button 5 of the front surface 46 of thehousing 4. With this arrangement, in the case of using the electronicequipment 1 as the stand type, the user 200 pushes the button closer tothe user himself or herself, whereby the optimal loading tray is openedand closed.

(Using Method)

Next, a method of using the electronic equipment 1 in the firstembodiment discussed above will be described. The electronic equipment 1in the first embodiment includes the two loading trays (the firstloading tray 2 and the second loading tray 3) that are differentiated intheir loading directions as explained above. Then, the first button 5can open and close the first loading tray 2, while the second button canopen and close the second loading tray 3.

Herein, FIG. 6 illustrates one example of the case in which theelectronic equipment 1 is disposed on the right side of the user 200. InFIG. 6, the electronic equipment 1 is used as the stand type. Then, theelectronic equipment 1 is disposed on the right side of the user 200 sothat the first loading tray 2 is located close to the user 200. In thiscase, the user 200 pushes the second button 6 closer to the user 200himself or herself, whereby the second loading tray 3 can be opened andclosed. Note that in the state illustrated in FIG. 6, the loadingsurface 12 of the second loading tray 3 is directed to the user 200.Hence, the user 200 can easily insert and eject the optical disc intoand from the second loading tray 3 opened and closed by manipulating thesecond button closer to the user 200 himself or herself.

Further, as described above, in the case where the electronic equipment1 is disposed on the right side of the user 200, the second loading tray3 may be located on the side of the user 200. FIG. 7 illustrates alayout example in which the electronic equipment 1 illustrated in FIG. 6is inverted up and down. In the case of this layout, the user 200 pushesthe first button 5 closer to the user 200 himself or herself to therebyenable the first loading tray 2 to be opened and closed.

Moreover, FIG. 8 illustrates one example of the case where theelectronic equipment 1 is disposed on the left side of the user 200. InFIG. 8 also, the electronic equipment 1 is used as the stand type. Inthis case, the user 200 pushes the first button 5 closer to the user 200himself or herself, whereby the first loading tray 2 can be opened andclosed. Note that in the state illustrated in FIG. 8, the loadingsurface 12 of the first loading tray 2 is directed to the user 200.Therefore, the user 200 can easily insert and eject the optical discinto and from the first loading tray 2 opened and closed by manipulatingthe first button closer to the user 200 himself or herself. Note thatsimilarly to the case illustrated in FIG. 7, in the case of disposingthe electronic equipment 1 on the left side of the user 200, theelectronic equipment 1 may be disposed in the way of being inverted upand down.

Thus, the electronic equipment 1 in the first embodiment can be disposedeither leftward or rightward of the user 200. Then, the user 200 pushesthe button closer to the user 200 himself or herself on whichever side,the left side or the right side, the electronic equipment 1 is disposed,whereby the user 200 can use the loading tray of which the loadingsurface 12 is directed to the user 200 himself or herself.

Further, the electronic equipment 1 in the first embodiment can bedisposed even in a narrow space in the way of being used as the standtype described above. The electronic equipment 1 in the first embodimentmay, however, be disposed as a horizontal type. Herein, FIG. 9illustrates the electronic equipment 1 used as the horizontal type. Asdepicted in FIG. 9, the electronic equipment 1 in the first embodimentmay also be employed as the horizontal type.

The electronic equipment 1 in the first embodiment includes the opticaldisc drive 100 having the first loading tray 2 and the second loadingtray 3 of which the loading surfaces 12 are differentiated in theirdirections, thereby enabling the optical disc 7 to be easily insertedand ejected even by disposing the electronic equipment 1 either leftwardor rightward of the user 200. Further, the electronic equipment 1 in thefirst embodiment has one pickup unit 11 etc similarly to theconventional disc drive. Accordingly, the electronic equipment 1 in thefirst embodiment exhibits excellent effects as described above with thesmall number of components. Yet further, in the electronic equipment 1in the first embodiment, the buttons (the first button 5, the secondbutton 6) for controlling the operations of the respective loading traysare provided in the predetermined positions. As a result, in the case ofusing the electronic equipment 1 as the stand type, the user 200 can usethe loading tray of which the loading surface 12 is directed to the user200 himself or herself simply by pushing the button closer to the user.

Second Embodiment

Next, electronic equipment 1 a in a second embodiment will hereinafterbe described. The electronic equipment 1 a has a built-in disc drive 100a. Then, the disc drive 100 a in the second embodiment is different interms of including one loading tray 2 a from the disc drive 100including the two loading trays described above in the first embodiment.FIG. 10 illustrates the electronic equipment 1 a in the secondembodiment. It may be noted that two pieces of buttons 5 a, 6 a are alsoprovided in the second embodiment. A design is, however, such that oneloading tray 2 a is provided, and hence the loading tray 2 a is openedand closed by pushing any one of the two buttons 5 a, 6 a. Theelectronic equipment 1 a in the second embodiment includes that theloading surface of the single loading tray 2 a can be changed in itsdirection. With this contrivance, the electronic equipment 1 a in thesecond embodiment, similarly to the electronic equipment 1 including thetwo loading trays differentiated in their loading directions in thefirst embodiment, enables the optical disc to be easily inserted andejected even by disposing the loading tray 2 a either leftward orrightward of the user 200.

Herein, FIG. 11 illustrates a top surface of the loading tray 2 a in thesecond embodiment. Further, FIG. 12 illustrates a side surface of theloading tray 2 a in the second embodiment. The disc drive 100 a in thesecond embodiment includes the loading tray 2 a, a loading tray supportunit 15 and a connecting unit 16. It may be noted that the samecomponents as those in the first embodiment are marked with the samesymbols and numerals to thereby omit their detailed descriptions.

The loading tray 2 a retains the optical disc 7 to be loaded. Theloading tray 2 a is, similarly to the first loading tray 2 in the firstembodiment, formed with one loading surface 12 a. Then, the loadingsurface 12 a is formed with the recessed accommodating unit 13 capableof accommodating the optical disc 7. Further, the edge portion of theaccommodating unit 13 is formed with the pawls 14 for keeping theoptical disc 7 in the loaded stated. Note that the loading tray 2 a isformed with a protruded portion 16 a for connecting with the loadingtray 2 a at a proximal portion 17. This protruded portion 16 a connects(engages) with a recessed portion 16 b formed in the loading traysupport unit 15, thereby enabling the loading tray 2 a to connect withthe loading tray support unit 15. It may be noted that the protrudedportion 16 a and the recessed portion 16 b configure the connecting unit16.

FIG. 13 illustrates a top surface of the loading tray in anotherembodiment. Moreover, FIG. 14 illustrates a side surface of the loadingtray in another embodiment. As illustrated in FIGS. 13 and 14, in thisembodiment, the proximal portion 17 of the loading tray 2 a is formedwith a connecting edge 16 c, and a side surface of this connecting edge16 c is formed with a protruded portion 16 c 1 protruding inside. Theloading tray support unit 15 is formed with a connecting target edge 16d connectable to the connecting edge 16 c, and this connecting targetedge 16 d is formed with a connection hole 16 d 1 connectable to theprotruded portion 16 c 1. More stable connection can be established byhaving the connecting portion such as this.

Note that in the disc drive 100 a also in the second embodiment, it issufficient to dispose one pickup unit 11 etc, The electronic equipment 1a in the second embodiment is provided with the clamper 8, the turntable 9, the spindle motor 10 and the pickup unit 11 in addition to theloading tray 2 a.

(Using Method)

A method of using the electronic equipment 1 a in the second embodimentdiscussed above will be described. The electronic equipment 1 a in thesecond embodiment is disposed for the user 200 of the electronicequipment 1 a and used in a way that changes the loading surface 12 ofthe loading tray 2 a. Herein, FIG. 15 illustrates a switching state ofthe loading tray 2 a. As illustrated in FIG. 15, to start with, (1) theloading tray 2 a is removed from the loading tray support unit 15. Then,(2) the loading tray 2 a is inverted and again connected to the loadingtray support unit 15. Through the operation described above, thedirection of the loading surface 12 of the loading tray 2 a can beproperly switched over. It may be noted that the disc drive 100 a in thesecond embodiment is provided with one pickup unit 11. Hence, even inthe case of switching over the direction of the loading surface 12 ofthe loading tray 2 a, the optical disc 7 is required to be loaded sothat the recording surface 7 b of the optical disc 7 is directed to thepickup unit 11.

The electronic equipment 1 a in the second embodiment includes the discdrive 100 a having the loading tray 2 a enabled to switch over thedirection of the loading surface 12, whereby the optical disc 7 can beeasily inserted and ejected on whichever side, the left side or theright side of the user 200, the electronic equipment 1 is disposed.Further, the electronic equipment 1 a in the second embodiment includesone loading tray 2 a and can be therefore downsized to a greater degreethan the electronic equipment 1 in the first embodiment.

<Others>

An optical disc drive is known as a drive which performs recording andreproducing (data or information) to and from a CD-ROM and a DVD-ROM.Further, there is spread of a large number of information processingdevices such as a personal computer and a variety of players which eachincorporate such an optical disc drive. A main type of the conventionaloptical disc drive is a so-called horizontal type in which the opticaldisc is placed on a loading tray. Over the recent years, however, agreat number of technologies have been proposed, which are capable ofusing in a state where the loading tray is set vertical, and, as aresult, there is also the spread of many optical disc drives taking aso-called stand type and a so-called stand/horizontal combination type.

The optical disc drive of the stand type can save more of space than bythe optical disc drive of the horizontal type. Further, designabilitycan be improved by setting the stand type. The optical disc drive of theconventional stand type, however, takes a configuration that the opticaldisc is disposed on one side surface of the loading tray disposedvertically. Accordingly, the optical disc must be loaded into theloading tray in a state of being unable to visually check one sidesurface on which the optical disc is disposed, depending on how theoptical disc drive is disposed with respect to a user. Namely, theconventional optical disc drive has a user-unfriendly problem.

Such being the case, for example, a technology disclosed in Patentdocument 1 is known for solving the problem such as this. The technologydisclosed in Patent document 1 is that the optical disc drive isprovided with a first loader unit holding a lower portion of the opticaldisc and a second loader unit holding an upper portion of the opticaldisc, and each loader unit is provided an optical disc holding portiontaking substantially a C-shape in section. The technology disclosed inPatent document 1 enables the optical disc to be visually checked evenwhen the optical disc drive is placed in any positions for the user byholding the optical disc with rod-like loaders provided up and down. Asa result, according to the technology disclosed in Patent document 1,the optical disc can be easily inserted and ejected.

According to the optical disc drive of the stand type, more of the spacecan be saved than by the optical disc drive of the horizontal type. Inthe optical disc drive of the conventional stand type using the loadingtray, however, the side surface of the loading tray into which theoptical disc is loaded is predetermined. Hence, the optical disc driveof the conventional stand type has the user-unfriendly problem such asthe optical disc being disabled from being visually checked when loadeddepending on where the optical disc drive is disposed for the user.

What is proposed for solving this problem is a technology related to theoptical disc drive in which the upper portion and lower portion of theoptical disc are held by two pieces of rod-like loaders provided up anddown. This technology, however, intends to hold the optical disc by thetwo rod-like loaders. As a result, it is a matter of concern thatstability of the holding state of how the optical disc is held isinferior to the optical disc drive adopting the loading tray. Further,the two rod-like loaders comprise a structure that only one ends of thetwo loaders are fixed, while the other ends are unfixed, and hence sucha problem arises that strength is inferior to the optical disc driveusing a flat loading tray. Incidentally, the problems described aboveare, it can be said, applied to the whole of the storage devices inwhich the data is read and written to a portable recording medium.

It is an object of This case to provide a technology capable of easilyinserting and ejecting a portable recording medium irrespective of wherea storage device is disposed for a user with respect to the storagedevice including a loading tray.

This case adopts the following means in order to solve the problemsgiven above. Namely, This case is a storage device executing at leastany one of reading and writing data from and to a portable recordingmedium, including: a first loading tray having a loading surface onwhich to abut a non-recording surface of the portable recording medium;a second loading tray having a loading surface, parallel with theloading surface of the first loading tray, on which to abut a recordingsurface of the portable recording medium loaded in the way of beingturned in the same direction as that of the recording surface of theportable recording medium loaded into the first loading tray; and anaccess unit disposed on the side of the recording surface and accessingthe recording surface of the portable recording medium even in such acase that the portable recording medium is loaded into any one of thefirst loading tray and the second loading tray.

According to This case, the loading tray for use can be changeddepending on a state of where the storage device is disposed for theuser. Namely, the user can select and use the loading tray of which theloading surface is directed to the user himself or herself in the twoloading trays. Hence, according to This case, the portable recordingmedium can be easily inserted and ejected irrespective of where thestorage device is disposed for the user.

It may be noted that in the storage device according to This case, thefirst loading tray and the second loading tray can be used in thevertical state. Accordingly, the storage device of this case can be usedas a so-called stand type device where the loading tray is set in thevertical state. The storage device of This case can be also used as aso-called horizontal type device in which the loading tray can beemployed in a horizontal state.

This case provides the loading trays of which the loading surfaces aredifferentiated, in other words, the loading trays having a differencebetween the directions of inserting and ejecting the portable recordingmedium. Therefore, the access units corresponding to the respectiveloading trays may be provided. If the access units are providedcorresponding to the respective loading trays, however, such a concernarises that the number of components of the storage device increases andthe device itself is upsized. Such being the case, a contrivance of Thiscase is to unify the direction of the recording surface of the portablerecording medium loaded into the respective loading trays. Thiscontrivance enables the data to be read from the portable recordingmedium disposed in each of the two loading trays owing to one accessunit.

Herein, the storage device according to this case may further include,in addition to the components described above, a first buttoncontrolling an operation of the first loading tray, and a second buttoncontrolling an operation of the second loading tray. According to Thiscase, a desire-for-using loading tray can be easily opened and closed byhaving the button for each loading tray.

Further, in This case, the first button and the second button may beformed on a front surface of the storage device having an entrance portfor the first loading tray and the second loading tray, the first buttonmay be disposed close outwardly in a loading direction of the firstloading tray, and the second button may be disposed close outwardly inthe loading direction of the second loading tray. With this contrivance,any one of the buttons is interposed between the user and the loadingtray in the case of using the storage device according to This case asthe stand type. Then, the user can select the optimal loading tray bypushing the button closer to the user himself or herself.

It may be noted that in This case described above, the portablerecording medium may be an optical disc, and the access unit may be apickup unit emitting laser beams to the recording surface of the opticaldisc.

Still further, This case can be configured as electronic equipmenthaving a built-in storage device described above. Namely, This case isthe electronic equipment including the storage device described aboveand a processing circuit issuing, to the storage device, a command toexecute at least any one of writing and reading data to and from theportable recording medium. The electronic equipment includes aninformation processing device such as a so-called personal computer anda player reproducing (data or information) from the portable recordingmedium. According to This case, it is feasible to provide a technologycapable of easily inserting and ejecting the portable recording mediumirrespective of where to be disposed for the user with respect to theelectronic equipment having the built-in storage device described above.

Yet further, This case may be a storage device executing at least anyone of writing and reading data to and from a portable recording medium,including: a loading tray having a loading surface for loading theportable recording medium; a loading tray support unit, to which theloading tray is connected, supporting the loading tray; and a connectingunit connecting the loading tray support unit to the loading tray in anattachable/detachable manner and enabling the loading tray support unitto connect with the loading tray even in a state where the loadingsurface of the loading tray is inverted.

According to This case, one loading tray can be used by inverting thetray by having the configuration described above. As a result, theportable recording medium can be easily inserted and ejectedirrespective of where the storage device is disposed for the user. Itmay be noted that the portable recording medium may be an optical disc.Moreover, This case may be electronic equipment including the storagedevice described above, and a processing circuit issuing, to the storagedevice, a command to execute at least any one of writing and readingdata to and from the portable recording medium.

According to This case, the portable recording medium can be easilyinserted and ejected irrespective of where the storage device isdisposed for the user with respect to the storage device having theloading trays.

All examples and conditional language recited herein are intended forpedagogical purposes to aid the reader in understanding the inventionand the concepts contributed by the inventor to furthering the art, andare to be construed as being without limitation to such specificallyrecited examples and conditions, nor does the organization of suchexamples in the specification relate to a showing of the superiority andinferiority of the invention. Although the embodiment(s) of the presentinventions have been described in detail, it may be understood that thevarious changes, substitutions, and alterations could be made heretowithout departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

1. A storage device to execute at least any one of writing and readingdata to and from a portable recording medium, comprising: a loading trayto comprise a loading surface for loading said portable recordingmedium; a loading tray support unit, to which said loading tray isconnected, to support said loading tray; and a connecting unit toconnect said loading tray support unit to said loading tray in anattachable/detachable manner and enabling said loading tray support unitto connect with said loading tray even in a state where the loadingsurface of said loading tray is inverted.
 2. The storage deviceaccording to claim 1, wherein said portable recording medium is anoptical disc.
 3. Electronic equipment comprising: a storage device toexecute at least any one of writing and reading data to and from aportable recording medium, the storage device including: a loading trayto comprise a loading surface for loading said portable recordingmedium, a loading tray support unit, to which said loading tray isconnected, to support said loading tray, and a connecting unit toconnect said loading tray support unit to said loading tray in anattachable/detachable manner and enabling said loading tray support unitto connect with said loading tray even in a state where the loadingsurface of said loading tray is inverted; and a processing circuit toissue, to said storage device, a command to execute at least any one ofwriting and reading data to and from said portable recording medium.